March 17, 2016
                     

Table of Contents
Update on Tax Bill Impacting Schools - HB 238 Moves Back to House
SHBP Advisory Council Resolution Passes House
Other Bills Pass Senate
House Passes Education Resolutions
 
Week in Review

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to watch the latest Week in Review podcast to catch up on last week's action under the Gold Dome.
 
PAGE Report From the Capitol
Day 38
Update on Tax Bill Impacting Schools - HB 238 Moves Back to House. Contact House Members Today!

HB 238, a tax bill that would have a dramatic impact on state funding for education and other important state services, passed the Senate on Wednesday. 

The bill would reduce the top income tax rate among other things, Together, this bill, along with SR 756, a constitutional amendment that institutes an automatic reduction of the income tax rate when certain conditions are met, would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually, jeopardizing funding for education and other services.
 
Currently the state is underfunding schools by $466 million. With the partial restoration of ongoing austerity cuts, next year, the school funding gap is set to fall to $166 million. Reducing the funding gap is made possible only with growing state revenue. If this tax package is approved, schools may once again face substantial cuts that caused widespread teacher furloughs, larger class sizes and a shortened school year for many.

CLICK HERE for more information on these bills from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

The bill must now go back to the House for an agree or disagree since the original version of HB 238 dealt with tax exemptions for aquarium expansions and renovations. NOW is the time to contact House members and encourage them to disagree with the Senate's version of the bill.

Find your House member's contact information HERE.  
SHBP Advisory Committee Resolution Passes House

HR 1382 by Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City), a resolution encouraging the Department of Community Health to create and seek the counsel of a State Health Benefit Plan Customer Advisory Council, passed the House on Wednesday. 

The Advisory Council would be composed of 12 participants in the SHBP who are also active members of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) or the Teachers Retirement System (TRS).  Three of these members should be retired TRS members, and two should be retired ERS members. 

PAGE would like to thank the Georgia State Retirees Association (GSRA) for their hard work on this resolution.  We would also like to thank Rep. Buckner for her willingness to sponsor the resolution. 
Other Bills Pass Senate 

The following bills also passed the Senate on Wednesday:

HB 65 by Rep. Michael Caldwell (R-Woodstock) requires local boards to hold two public hearings on their proposed annual operating budget.  The bill also requires this budget to be posted online. 

HB 100 by Rep. Tom Dickson (R-Cohutta), a bill that originally changed the Kindergarten start date for students, was stripped of its original language and replaced with language that requires school systems to use 90 percent of funds received for students enrolled only in virtual school programs in a local system but residing in another system ON virtual school instruction and nothing else.

HB 801 by Rep. Jan Jones (R-Milton) adds computer science as an advanced science option for students receiving the HOPE scholarship. The bill also increases HOPE GPA weights for STEM classes approved by the Board of Regents. 
House Passes Education Resolutions

The following resolutions passed the House on Wednesday:

HR 1253 by Rep. Dexter Sharper (D-Valdosta) encourages local boards and charter schools to provide dugout safety instruction to student athletes and to construct protective dugout coverings.

HR 1342 by Rep. Demetrius Douglas (D-Stockbridge) requests more recess time for students.
Josh Stephens - Legislative Policy Analyst
[email protected]

Margaret Ciccarelli - Director of Legislative Affairs [email protected]  
  


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